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Musmeci The 2007 Etna Rosso DOC estate Fessina

Grapes: nerello mascalese, nerello cap

Price range: 30 to € 40, a wine shop

fermentation and maturation: steel and wood

When emits puffs and pops you hear the neighbors talking from the balcony: 'Who' FFU? "-" components, components! E ' 'To muntagna CA mummuria. " "'A muntagna," so they call the Etna. Also called "Mungibeddu", is considered a deity by local people almost supernatural, and held him in a sort of ancestral respect and awe that is passed down from father to son. Of course, in this case, it has also the fact that Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, is, as always, in addition to a free and incomparable spectacle of Nature, also a real threat, which in a not-so-distant past, did extensive damage to communities that have settled on its slopes. "Mother Earth" generous tasty fruits (chestnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, figs India (DOP), "puma cola" - little known feature of native apple tart), water sources, and outstanding wines, "'a muntagna is certainly one of the most striking findings of the planet, a magical place where you can ski watching the sea, discover unspoilt nature and breathtaking landscapes made of, going up to the summit craters, being in a place like the moon with something hypnotic where time is marked by the devilish moans and sulphurous fumes from the volcano. As can be seen from the site of the Consortium of the Etna DOC wines, the vines grow Etna on sandy soils of volcanic origin, rich texture, cultivated since ancient times. We notice from the poet Theocritus in the third century BC, and further confirmation from a few coins of the fifth century BC have come down to us.

Etna That was the first wine area Sicilian to obtain recognition of the designation of origin, recognized by the Presidential Decree of 11 .08.1968. In 42 years of winemaking from the protected designation of origin, grape varieties included in the specification for the production of the Etna DOC types in his Red Rose, White and White top, are not never been subject to modifications or additions (an exemplary context!). The production area of \u200b\u200bthe appellation of origin affects several municipalities on the slopes of Etna, near Catania, but in Castiglione di Sicilia Randazzo and now focuses more than 40% of the Etna DOC wine production. Over the past 10 years, this area, magnificent and unique, found himself illuminated by the spotlight and more and more contractors and tenants, and not in Sicily, are investing resources in this beautiful part of Sicily and a great vocation to the vineyard, which seems , according to many, have several "elective affinities" with Burgundy (though the latter is a plain and mountain, even if high-latitude). The nerello mascalese has always been predominantly black berry cultivar, ambassador of the prestigious wine growing Etna, present with a variety of disparate clonal populations, has, in fact, characters in common with his cousin Burgundian pinot noir (the low anthocyanins, some aromas of red fruits) and a yield in the vineyard greatly conditioned by altitude and slope where it is cultivated only by the farming system.

The nail Il Musmeci 2007 Etna Rosso DOC

The most common is certainly to a sapling, with high plant density (plants between 6000 and 9000 the latest, but it is not difficult to find, especially in old vineyards, density of 12000 plants per hectare), this element , further similarity to Burgundy. The territory, then, is divided into small sub-areas, called "districts" that are placed on heights and lava terrain very different Rovittello, Passopisciaro, Porcaria, Guardiola, Chiappemacine, Sciaranuova , Prancing, to name a few. The Contrade Etna constitute, in effect, the real "cru" homonym DOC. Old feudal estates subject of splits that occurred over time, but still clearly identifiable on topographic maps, the streets are each on a layering of lava flows with minerals, grain size and different altitudes between them. Checking the 'grapes to the winery, giving different wines depending on the district from which it came, has prompted some producers to make wine, separately, the wines of each district.

Old strain nerello mascalese

Fascinated by this extraordinary and majestic land, Silvia Maestrelli, producer of Tuscan wine on his estate Petriolo Villa of Cerreto Guidi, her husband Roberto Silva, a businessman with extensive experience with a passion for wine, and agronomy and winemaker Federico Curtaz (best known as an agronomist for 15 years of well-known manufacturer of Barbaresco, Angelo Gaja), in 2007, buying, Castiglione di Sicilia (CT), bringing to life an old millstone 1700's lava rock overlooking a vineyard nerello mascalese of 6 hectares, which stands guard at the "Milicucco", a powerful and majestic tree that overhangs like a faithful guardian of the secular, the whole estate, and whose roots are clinging tenaciously to the boundary wall of lava stone. The vineyards of octogenarians Fessina in Contrada Rovittello (one of the most prestigious cru Etna distribution area), we read from the card company, are embedded "between the two ancient skiing (lava flows of the past, stratified over the millennia, ed) semicircular , who, like two great arms, encircling them in a gesture almost maternal. "

Federico Curtaz, agronomist, winemaker and co-owner of the Estate of Fessina

The average age of the strains of 50-60 years, but in some areas touches 80-90 years. " It is for this reason that the estate has Fessina on the market with two separate red Etna DOC, expression of terroir that make up the prestigious vineyard. So while Erse is an Etna Rosso DOC obtained making wine grapes from younger vines and winemaking whose only recourse is to steel containers, the Musmeci, the selection of the estate, was born, instead of grapes from vines almost centenarians . The name given to the "grand vin" Etna is a tribute to Mr. Ignatius Musmeci, former owner, now eighty years old, to which has the merit of having preserved lovingly these screws that are real jewels of nature, allowing today, the new owners, to work on these great vineyards of "wisdom." F ra terraces, stone walls and ancient lava skiing black "'Fessina the vineyard," as the locals call the vineyards of the estate, have a sixth plant high-density, 1.15 x 1.15 (8,000 vines per hectare), are located 670 meters above sea level on sandy soil texture and rich volcanic ash. The volcanic soils are characterized by great depth. This allows the roots to expand, and combined with the strong mineral soils, this means that the vineyards of these areas have great longevity. Not only that, we must also remember that, in the same way to what happens in other volcanic areas, often screws Etna are "free of foot" that is planted directly without the use of rootstocks. This gives plants longevity, the question for those on plantations.

Musmeci Mr. Ignatius, a former owner, the wine is dedicated

harvested by hand at maturity very late (late October) the grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled maceration on the skins for 8-10 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wine Etna was interested in an aging period of 15 months in wood (barrels and barrels of 36 hl), steel and bottle. It 's the case that the Musmeci 2007, newborn, has already won, earning the Three Green Glasses in the Gambero Rosso 2010 excellence L'Espresso 2010. I uncorked the bottle about an hour ago and Musmeci The 2007 is already in the balloon for about 10 minutes. But it closed in on itself. Completely ignores me. Roteo carefully the cup aerarlo trying to get it open, and while waiting for a hint, string fingers and sniff the cork piece with which the precious bottle was corked. I pause to admire his face. In line with the typical characters of color, primarily related to the vine, is a beautiful ruby \u200b\u200bred garnet with beautiful exhaust. Both the eye and nose perceive, at first glance, the great consistency of the wine (14 degrees, declared on the label). This comforts me. I am already thinking about how will be the mouth. Warm, soft, if possible. Carry the cup to his nose, and seems to feel some descriptor. The "small", perhaps, begins to awaken. Maybe he realized that his fellow countryman, and certainly will not want to insult me \u200b\u200bnot to communicate! There is, at least initially, confidentiality, maybe even shy. For my part, the excitement is sky high, and could not be that way. It's not every day that you are sure the sight of a "big" personality. You start to break the ice. Important floral notes seem to come. Viola (mainly) and pink (less distinct, at least on my doorstep, the first). Alcohol continues to be felt, not so heavy but firm. Small red fruits (indistinct) and spicy notes quite wide and clear (nutmeg, black pepper and vanilla, mostly) characterize the olfactory spectrum of red liquid and joyful. A warm, soft mouth, in line with my imagination, leaves, with a fair and gentle progression, space in this beautiful and energetic acidity that distinguishes this wine, sure prelude to the great longevity that is targeted, and that wonderful, captivating minerality, harmoniously blended with the noble sweet and dense tannins that only grape plant "slide" can give, and we confirmed that, in the very final nose-mouth and in its long and triumphant aromatic finish.

The Milicucco, majestic tree-guardian of the estate

While that no person in the world will never be so sincere in its relations, be known as wine, Musmeci 2007, as well to be honest is good, true, profound. To paraphrase the person who is the author, decided that elegance, that poise, that depth, the vertical one that really belongs only to big red wines. As shown from the back label of this wine were produced, in 2007, only 8000 and 1000 magnum bottles. A wine for a few, therefore, the result of a long maceration and extraction, aimed at creating a new interpretation of the grape Etna, although not immediately as intended, and possibly without a Long life's course. As the same Curtaz Frederick said in a video on You Tube: "We believe that the challenge has just begun. We need our cellar mature, mature in its woods, its barrels, the way we work, because every place needs its time, its interpretations, which take into account all its characteristics. "

Internal ancient millstone, used as a cellar

In this sense, we must admit that Curtaz, in these words: shows not only its professional quality, the result of sedimentation of experience as a high-level technical, but also its basic coherence. In Sori San Lorenzo, a beautiful essay-novel of the American wine writer Edward Steinberg, released in 1996, tells of the birth of Sori San Lorenzo 1989 producer Angelo Gaja (of which Fred Curtaz was, at that time, in charge of the vineyards) we read these words: "You can do this job with the mentality of a trade unionist. You must have a long-term ... It takes years before you see the results of what you do. " The Musmeci is a wine of mountain, was born at almost 700 meters high, in a which leads him to mature in late October. The volcanic wines, after all, are a bit 'all characterized by this odd, fascinating paradox. Are generated by a unique, powerful fruit of the exuberance of nature, but in the same manner of many older people of few words and loads of experience and awareness, express discretion, humility, austerity, though deeply conscious of their depth ...

The road entrance to the estate

Musmeci The 2007 is just so, as the volcano on which it was born. For now calm, composed, but obviously proud, conscious of his greatness. Expels some grumbling, to feel his character, but strong and determined, discreet and elegant, it is ready to "explode" when the time comes. I paired the 2007 Etna Rosso DOC Musmeci to a local stew of pork and sauce with wild fennel, sensory association result at the end, according to my guests, very intriguing. Dine with the Musmeci, I remembered what he wrote in the 80's, Andre Tchelistcheff, Emeritus Professor of Enology at Davis and consultant in major producers such as Italy Incisa della Rocchetta and Lodovico Antinori, who died in 1994: "Being the great wines of the result of an equation that combines elegance and provides a time, balance, softness, texture, complexity, can be drunk young and capable of long aging.

The inner courtyard of the ancient millstone

also our great Gino Veronelli shared this definition, certainly apt. Maybe someone will think that we are still taking "baby," however, the Musmeci, has an incredibly pleasant to drink and not as busy as could be expected. Tchelistcheff, therefore, not wrong. However, we are comforted by a certainty that the other two bottles resting in our cellar, waiting for a long, long time before seeing the light ...

HOLDING Fessina - Contrada Rovittello - Via Nazionale - SS 120 No 22 - Castiglione di Sicilia (CT) - Tel 347 3590547 - www.villapetriolo.com - www.divinando.blogspot.com - federicocurtaz @ tenutadi fessina.com - silviamaestrelli@tenutadifessina.com - Recipients: Silvia Maestrelli, Roberto Silva and Federico Curtaz - Winemaker: Richard Curtaz - Vineyards: Mount Etna, 6 acres (owned): Val di Noto (Nero d'Avola), 2 hectares (owned); Calatafimi-Segesta (chardonnay), 5 acres - Bottles produced: 60,000 - Vines: nerello mascalese, nerello hood, Nero d'Avola, chardonnay. First harvest company: 2007 - Consortium of the Etna DOC wines: www.etnadoc.com.